1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a fluorescent endoscope apparatus, and in particular to a fluorescent endoscope apparatus for insertion into the body of a living subject, irradiating a living-tissue subject with stimulating light, measuring the fluorescent light emitted by the living-tissue subject upon irradiation thereof by the stimulating light and detecting a fluorescent image formed of the emitted fluorescent light.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been proposed technologies for irradiating a living-tissue subject with stimulating light, receiving the fluorescent light emitted from the living-tissue subject thereupon, wherein, utilizing the difference between the fluorescent light emitted from a normal tissue and the fluorescent light emitted by a diseased tissue upon irradiation thereof by a stimulating light of a predetermined wavelength, a fluorescent image of the location of the diseased tissue and it""s range of infiltration is displayed.
Normally, when irradiated by stimulating light, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 18, because a strong fluorescent light is emitted by normal tissue and a weaker fluorescent light is emitted from diseased tissue, as shown by the broken line in the same figure, by measuring the strength of the fluorescent light, it can be determined whether the living-tissue subject is in a normal state or a diseased state.
Further, when the strength,of the fluorescent light emitted due to irradiation by stimulating light is displayed as an image, because there is unevenness in the living-tissue subject, the strength of the stimulating light projected onto the living-tissue subject is not uniform. In addition, although the strength of the fluorescent light emitted from the living-tissue subject is substantially proportionate to the strength of stimulating light, the strength of the stimulated light is in inverse proportion to the square of the distance. Therefore, there, are cases in which the fluorescent light emitted from a diseased tissue closer to the light source than a normal tissue is received as the fluorescence of higher strength, and therefore, it is not possible to discern with certainty the state of the irradiated tissue based solely on the strength of received fluorescent light emitted due to irradiation by stimulating light. In order to reduce this uncertainty, a method in which the ratio of the two different strengths of fluorescent light is obtained by division, and a method of displaying a computed image based on the value of the resultant of the division operation, that is, for example, an image display method taking into account the difference of the form of the spectra of the fluorescent light reflecting the characteristics of the living tissue, or a method of irradiating a living-tissue subject with a near-infrared light which is absorbed uniformly by various living-tissues as a reference light, detecting the strength of the reflected light of the reference light reflected by a living-tissue subject upon irradiation thereof by the reference light, obtaining by division the ratio thereof to the strength of the fluorescent light, and displaying a computed image based on the value of the resultant of the division operation, that is, a method of obtaining the value reflecting the rate of fluorescent light absorption and displaying an image, has been proposed.
In addition, using the technology described above, the development of a fluorescent endoscope apparatus for detecting a fluorescent image of the inside of a living body is advancing. Because the strength of the fluorescent light detected by such fluorescent endoscope apparatuses is extremely weak, it is desirable that the stimulating light be of as high strength as possible. However, because laser light is used as the source of stimulating light, the safety of the patient to be subjected to diagnosis and the operator must be ensured for. Values of the density of laser light to be used as stimulating light are defined as MPE values according to the JIS standard, etc. Up to now, when the endoscope insertion portion of a fluorescent endoscope apparatus has been inserted into a body cavity of a patient, because the output face of the stimulating light projecting end portion of the endoscope insertion portion comes to be in extremely close proximity to a target area, the target area is irradiated by the energy of laser light of too high an energy density, and because there is a fear that injury be caused to the patient, a safety device for the prevention thereof has been proposed.
However, for cases in which stimulating light is emitted when inserting the endoscope insertion portion of a fluorescent endoscope apparatus into or removing the endoscope insertion portion from the body cavity of a patient, there is a fear that injury be caused to the eyes of the patient or the operator, and up till now, a safety device for the prevention thereof has not been proposed.
In addition, when starting;the system, resetting the system, starting the measurement procedure, or performing maintenance on the system, it is considered possible that stimulating light be inadvertently projected at areas other that the section of which a measurement is to be taken. Here: starting the system refers to turning on the fluorescent endoscope apparatus; resetting the system refers to returning controlling characteristics of the fluorescent endoscope apparatus to the initial state after it has already been turned on; starting the measurement procedure refers to an operator""s preparing to take a measurement, after the fluorescent endoscope apparatus has been turned on, of the section of which a measurement is to be taken; performing maintenance on the system refers to the preparations that must be made when a maintenance operation requiring that stimulating light be emitted is to be performed.
Also, safety measures for times when starting the system, resetting the system, initiating operations to take a measurement, or performing maintenance on the system, as described above, against inadvertent emission of stimulating light have also not been proposed.
The present invention has been developed in consideration of the circumstances described above. It is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a fluorescent endoscope apparatus having a safety device for preventing injury to the eyes or other body parts of the patient and operator due to the inadvertent emission of stimulating light when starting the system, resetting the system, initiating measurement, performing maintenance requiring the emission of stimulating light, etc.
The first fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention comprises a projecting means for emitting stimulating light and illuminating light, an endoscope insertion portion for insertion into the body of a patient, a light guiding means provided within said endoscope insertion portion for guiding the stimulating light and illuminating light emitted from the projecting means to the section of which a measurement is to be taken, and detecting means for detecting a fluorescent image formed of the fluorescent light emitted from the section of which a measurement is to be taken upon irradiation thereof by stimulating light guided through the guiding means and a normal image of the light reflected from the section of which a measurement is to be taken upon irradiation thereof by the illuminating light guided through the guiding means, further comprising a stimulating light emission preventing means for preventing the emission of the stimulating light, a detecting means for detecting that the forward end portion of the insertion portion is outside of the body of the patient, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the:detecting means.
In addition, the detecting means of the second fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a flicker detecting means for detecting the flicker appearing due to the light illuminating the inside of the diagnosis room, which is different from the stimulating light emitted by the projecting means, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the flicker detecting means.
Here, xe2x80x9cflickerxe2x80x9d refers to periodical change in brightness occurring in the diagnostic room illumination (diagnostic room illumination refers to light, such as that a from fluorescent bulb, of which the quantity changes a cycles twice that of an off-the-shelf electric power source) that is detected by the fluorescent endoscope apparatus when a measurement operation is carried out. The flicker detecting means can be a means for detecting the flicker appearing in a normal image or a fluorescent image detected by the image detecting means, or a means for detecting only the flicker occurring at the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion. In the latter case, it is desirable that the flicker detecting means is disposed at a position several centimeters from the stimulating light projecting end:,portion of the endoscope insertion portion. Note that for cases in which the flicker appearing in a normal or fluorescent image is to be detected, flicker occurs when the normal or fluorescent image detecting cycle and the frequency of an of-the-shelf electric power source differ, and because flicker does not occur when the image detecting cycle and the frequency of the of-the-shelf electric power source are equivalent or when one the frequency of either of the two is an integer. multiple of the other, it is necessary to take the image detecting cycle into consideration. When flicker is present, the flicker detecting means outputs a detection signal assuming that the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is located outside the body of the patient. Note that the expression xe2x80x9coutside the body of the patientxe2x80x9d refers to positions at which there is a fear that the stimulating light emitted from the end portion of the endoscope insertion apparatus enter the eyes of the patient or the operator, or positions at a predetermined safe distance from positions where the potential for the stimulating light to inadvertently be projected into the eyes of the patient or operator.
In addition, the detecting means of the third fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to. the present invention is provided with a brightness distribution detecting means for detecting the difference between the brightness distribution of the brightness distribution of the normal image and the brightness distribution occurring within the body of a patient, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the brightness distribution detecting means.
Here, for cases in which the subject of a measurement to be obtained by use of a fluorescent endoscope apparatus is, for example, the tube-shaped organs (the esophagus, the stomach, the duodenum, the large intestine, etc.), the brightness distribution occurring in a normal image of the inside of the body of a patient is brighter on the circumference of the image than in the middle of the image, and because it differs with the brightness distribution of a normal image taken outside of the body of the patient, it can be determined from the state of the brightness distribution of a normal image whether the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is inside or outside the body of the patient. When the detected brightness distribution state differs from the brightness distribution when the forward end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is inside the body of the patient, the brightness distribution detecting, means outputs a detection signal assuming that the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is located outside the body of the patient.
In addition, the detecting means of the fourth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a brightness detecting means for detecting that the brightness of a normal image differs from the brightness measured when the forward end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is inside the body of the patient, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the brightness detecting means.
Here, when the brightness of any of the pixels of a normal image is above a predetermined threshold value, the brightness detecting means recognizes the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion as being outside the body of the patient and outputs a detection signal.
In addition, the detecting means of the fifth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a color signal detecting means for detecting that the color signal of a normal image differs from the color signal occurring when the forward end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is inside the body of the patient, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the color signal detecting means.
Here, for cases in which the color signal, which is an RGB color signal, of any of a normal image detected by the fluorescent endoscope apparatus is of a normal image of the inside of the body of a patient, because it is an image of mucous membranes and blood vessels, the R signal is large in comparison to the G and B signals. Accordingly, when the value of the R signal is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the color signal detecting means recognizes the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion as being outside the body of the patient and outputs a detection signal.
In addition, the detecting means of the sixth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a straight-line detecting means for detecting that the straight-line pattern of a normal image differs from the straight-line pattern occurring when the forward end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is inside the body of the patient, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the straight-line detecting means.
Here, because a normal image detected by the fluorescent endoscope apparatus when the end:portion of the endoscope insertion portion is outside of the patients body is a normal image of the of the environment of the diagnosis room, there are more straight-line patterns contained therein than in a normal image of the inside of the body of the patient. When the number of lines within a normal image is above a predetermined threshold value, the straight-line detecting means recognizes the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion as being outside the body of the patient and outputs a detection signal. Note that as straight-line detecting method, there is a method employing image processing by a Hough transform and detecting the straight lines, or a method wherein an image template consisting of only straight lines is superposed on a normal image and the straight-line component of the normal image is thereby enhanced, and the straight lines detected, etc.; in short, any method of detecting the straight-line component occurring in a normal image can be employed.
In addition, the detecting means of the seventh fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a light strength detecting means disposed in the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion for detecting that the light strength occurring near the side of the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion differs from the light strength inside the body of the patient, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the light strength detecting means.
Here, because the brightness of the area near the side of the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion of the endoscope apparatus is brighter when the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is outside of the body of the patient than when it is inside the body of the patient, when the detected light strength is above a predetermined threshold value, the light strength detecting means recognizes the end portion of thee endoscope insertion portion as being outside of the body of the patient and outputs a detection signal. Further, it is desirable that the light strength detecting means be disposed at a safe position at a distance several centimeters from the stimulating light emitting end portion of the endoscope insertion portion.
In addition, the detecting means of the eighth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a temperature detecting means disposed in the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion for detecting that the temperature occurring near the side of the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion differs from the temperature inside the body of the patient, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the temperature detecting means.
Here, because the temperature of the area near the side of the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion of the endoscope apparatus is lower when the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is outside of the body of the patient than when it is inside the body of the patient, when the detected temperature is lower than 37xc2x0 C. (the normal body temperature), the temperature detecting means recognizes the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion as being outside of the body of the patient and outputs a detection signal. Further, it is desirable that the temperature detecting means be disposed at a safe position at a distance several centimeters from the stimulating light emitting end portion of the endoscope insertion portion.
In addition, the detecting means of the eigth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a gas detecting means disposed in the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion for detecting that the gas surrounding the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion differs from the gas inside the body of the patient, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the gas detecting means.
Here, the gas detecting means is a means for detecting the gases occurring within the body of a patient, which are of a higher temperature than those occurring outside the body of the patient. For example, there is a means for detecting carbon dioxide. However, and in short, any means may be used as far as it is capable of detecting the density of the gaseous component inside the body of a patient, which is of a higher density than that occurring outside of the body of the patient; for example, there are means for detecting methane, hydrogen sulfide, etc. Also, when taking a measurement, for cases in which a gas different from the outside air is injected into the body of a patient, the injected gas can also be detected. When the density of the detected gas is below a predetermined threshold value, the gas detecting means recognizes the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion as being outside of the body of the patient and outputs a detection signal. Further, it is desirable that the gas detecting means be disposed at a safe position at a distance several centimeters from the stimulating light emitting end portion of the endoscope insertion portion.
In addition, the detecting means of the tenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a magnetic field producing means, which is mounted at the opening of the body orifice into which the endoscope insertion portion of the endoscope apparatus is to be inserted, for producing a magnetic field, and a magnetic field detecting means disposed in the endoscope insertion portion for detecting aforementioned magnetic field, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the magnetic field detecting means.
In addition, the detecting means of the eleventh fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a light projecting means, which is mounted at the opening of the body orifice into which the endoscope insertion portion of the endoscope apparatus is to be inserted, for projecting light, and a reflected light detecting means for detecting the reflected light reflected by the endoscope insertion portion upon irradiation thereof by the projected light, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the reflected light detecting means.
In addition, the detecting means of the twelfth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a light projecting means mounted at the opening of the body orifice into which the endoscope insertion portion of the endoscope apparatus is to be inserted for projecting light, and a transmitted-light detecting means disposed in the endoscope insertion portion means for detecting the transmitted light transmitted by the endoscope insertion portion upon irradiation thereof by the projected light, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the transmitted-light detecting means.
In addition, the detecting means of the thirteenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with an airspace volume detecting means for detecting the airspace volume between the body of the patient and the endoscope insertion portion of the endoscope apparatus, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for preventing, via the stimulating light emission preventing means, the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal detected by the airspace volume detecting means.
Here, the airspace volume is made to be of a predetermined uniform value when the endoscope insertion portion is in the body of a patient, and when the detected airspace volume is above the predetermined value, the airspace volume detecting means recognizes the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion as being outside of the body of the patient and outputs a detection signal.
In addition, the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means of the fourteenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present,invention is a stimulating light cut off means inserted into the optical path through which the stimulating light is guided to the section of which a measurement is to be taken.
In addition, the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means of the fifteenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is a stimulating light standby means for controlling emission of the stimulating light by maintaining it in a standby state.
Here, the standby state refers to the ready-state of emitting stimulating light, for example, a state in which the voltage of the power source of the stimulating light source is reduced to a level below that required for operation of the stimulating light source, etc.; in short, any state in which the stimulating light standby means controls the stimulating light projecting means so that stimulating light is not emitted therefrom.
In addition, according to the sixteenth embodiment of the fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention, GaN type laser light is used as the stimulating light.
In addition, the seventeenth embodiment of the fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention comprises a projecting means for emitting stimulating light and illuminating light, a stimulating light guiding means for guiding stimulating light from the projecting means to the section of which a measurement is to be taken, an illuminating light emitting means for emitting illuminating light, an illuminating light guiding means for guiding illuminating light from the projecting means to the section of which a measurement is to be taken, an image detecting means for the image detecting a fluorescent image of the fluorescent light emitted from the section of which a measurement is to be taken upon irradiation thereof by stimulating light guided through the guiding means and a normal image of the light reflected from the section of which a measurement is to be taken upon irradiation thereof by the illuminating light, and a stimulating light controlling means for controlling the emission of stimulating light from the stimulating light projecting means, further comprising a power-source state detecting means for detecting that the power source of the fluorescent endoscope apparatus has been switched from the OFF to the ON state, a stimulating light emission preventing means for putting the stimulated light in an emission-prohibited state in which emission of stimulating light is prevented, an unlocking operation detecting means for detecting that a predetermined operation for unlocking the emission-prohibited state has been performed, and a stimulating light emission prevention controlling means for controlling the stimulating light emission preventing means so that the stimulating light is put in the emission-prohibited state when switching of the power-source from the OFF to the ON state is detected by the power-source state detecting means and so that the emission-prohibited state of the stimulating light is unlocked when aforementioned predetermined operation for unlocking the emission-prohibited state has been detected by the unlocking operation detecting means as having been performed.
According to the seventeenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, the power-source state detecting means detects that the state of the power source of the fluorescent endoscope apparatus has been switched from OFF to the ON, and detection data indicative thereof is transmitted to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means. The stimulating light emission prevention controlling means causes operation of the stimulating emission preventing means and the stimulating light is put in the emission-prohibited state. Then, when the predetermined operation for unlocking the emission-prohibited state has been performed, this predetermined operation is detected by the unlocked-state operation detecting means, and detection data indicative thereof is transmitted to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means. The stimulating light emission prevention controlling means causes operation of the stimulating emission preventing means and the stimulating light emission-prohibited state is unlocked.
Here, the expression xe2x80x9cthe power source of the fluorescent endoscope apparatusxe2x80x9d means at least the power for turning the stimulating light projecting means ON. Further, in the state in which the power source is in the transitional state of having been switched from OFF to ON, the stimulating light projecting means does not operate until a predetermined threshold voltage has been attained. In addition the power-source state detecting means, the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, and the stimulating light emission preventing means are activated at a faster timing than the stimulating light projecting means.
In addition, the eighteenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention can also be provided with a reset detecting means for detecting that the fluorescent endoscope apparatus has been reset. Here, xe2x80x9cthat the fluorescent endoscope apparatus has been resetxe2x80x9d refers at least to the resetting of the stimulating light controlling means. When the fluorescent endoscope apparatus is detected by the reset detecting means as having been reset, detection data indicative thereof is transmitted to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means. The stimulating light emission prevention controlling means causes operation of the stimulating emission preventing means and the stimulating light is put in the emission-prohibited state.
In addition, according to the nineteenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention, the stimulating light guiding means and the illuminating light guiding means are disposed within the endoscope insertion portion. The nineteenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a connection detecting means for detecting whether or not the stimulating light guiding means and the stimulating light projecting means are connected, whether or not the illuminating light projecting means and the illuminating light guiding means are connected and whether or not the endoscope insertion portion and the image signal processing portion are connected, and by detection that of even one of the following: that the stimulating light projecting means and the stimulating guiding means are not connected; that the illuminating light projecting means and the illuminating light guiding means are not connected; or that the endoscope insertion portion and the image processing portion are not connected, the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means causes operation of the stimulating light emission preventing means and the stimulating light can be put in the emission-prohibited state.
The xe2x80x9cendoscope insertion portionxe2x80x9d refers to the portion of the fluorescent endoscope apparatus that is inserted into and can be removed from the patient""s body and which can be exchanged and cleaned. The image processing portion includes at least the portion for performing image processing on an image detected fluorescent image.
In addition, the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means of the twentieth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is a stimulating light cutoff means inserted into the:.optical path through which the stimulating light is guided to the section of which a measurement is to be taken.
In addition, the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means of the twenty-first fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is a stimulating light standby means for controlling emission of the stimulating light by maintaining it in a standby state.
In addition, the twenty-second fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention is also provided with a stimulating light emission prevention data recording means for recording control data for controlling aforementioned stimulating light emission preventing means; when the power-source state detecting means detects that the power source has been switched from OFF to ON, or when the reset detecting means detects that the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means has been reset, the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means reads the control data recorded in the stimulating light emission prevention control data recording means, and controls the stimulating light emission preventing means so that the stimulating light can be put in the emission-prohibited state. Note that for cases in which the stimulating light emission preventing means is a stimulating light cutoff means, the control data recorded in the stimulating light emission prevention control data recording means is control data for controlling the stimulating light cutoff means, and for cases in which the stimulating light emission preventing means is a stimulating light standby means, the control data recorded in the stimulating light emission prevention control data recording means is control data for controlling the stimulating light standby means.
For cases in which the stimulating light emission preventing means is a stimulating light cutoff means, when the power source is switched from OFF to ON and the power-source state detecting means detects that the power source has been switched from OFF to ON, or when the fluorescent endoscope apparatus is reset and the reset detecting means detects that this state has been reset, the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means reads the control data recorded in the stimulating light emission prevention control data recording means, and causes operation of the stimulating light cutoff means so that the stimulating light can be put in the emission-prohibited state.
In addition, for cases in which the stimulating light emission preventing means is a stimulating light standby means, when the power source is switched from OFF to ON and the power-source state detecting means detects that the power source has been switched from OFF to ON, or when the fluorescent endoscope apparatus is reset and the reset detecting means detects that this state has been reset, the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means reads the control data recorded in the stimulating light emission prevention control data recording means, and causes operation of the stimulating light standby means so that the stimulating light can be put in the emission-prohibited state.
Further, the predetermined operation for unlocking the emission-prohibited state of the stimulating light may be an operation of any type as far as it is a mandatory operation to be performed before an actual operation to take a measurement or to perform maintenance.
In addition, according to the twenty-third fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, aforementioned predetermined operation for unlocking the emission-prohibited state of the stimulating light is a manually performed operation. For example, throwing a switch, a touch-panel input operation, and etc.; further, a combination of these operations can be performed. In this case, the emission-prohibited state of the stimulating light is unlocked only when a combination of operations has been performed. Further, operations performed only when maintenance operations are to be commenced and operations to be performed only when the measurement procedure is to be commenced can also be combined.
In addition, according to the twenty-fourth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, aforementioned manually performed operation is an operation of inputting the patient data. Note that the operation of inputting the patient data is such that it""s performance is required in order to perform operations for taking an actual measurement, and such that pseudo patient information must be input in order to perform maintenance operations. Any appropriate data for initiating maintenance operations can be used as pseudo patient data.
In addition, according to the twenty-fifth embodiment of the fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, GaN type laser light is used as the stimulating light.
According to the first fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the above described configuration according to the present invention, which is provided with a detecting means for detecting that the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is outside of the body of the patient, because the stimulating light emission preventing means prevents the emission of stimulating light, based on the detection signal of the detecting means, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured.
In addition, according to the second fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, in which the detecting means is provided with a flicker detecting means for detecting the flicker appearing due to the light illuminating the inside of the diagnosis room, when the flicker detecting means detects the presence of flicker, the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is recognized as being located outside the body of the patient and a detection signal is output to the stimulating. light emission prevention controlling means, and at that time, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means prevents the emission of stimulating light, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured. Further, the degree of safety can be further increased if the flicker detecting means be disposed at a safe position at a distance several centimeters from the stimulating light emitting end portion of the endoscope insertion portion.
In addition, according to the third fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, in which the detecting mean is provided with a brightness distribution detecting means for detecting the brightness distribution of a normal image. When the brightness distribution detecting means detects a brightness distribution differing from that occurring when the endoscope insertion portion is inside the body of a patient, the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is recognized as being located outside the body of the patient and a detection signal is output to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, and at that time, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means prevents the emission of stimulating light, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured.
In addition, according to, the fourth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, in which the detecting means is provided with a brightness detecting means for detecting the brightness of a normal image. When the brightness detecting means detects that the brightness of any of the pixels of a normal image is larger than a predetermined threshold value, the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is recognized as being located outside the body of the patient and a detection signal is output to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, and at that time, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means prevents the emission of stimulating light, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured.
In addition, according to the fifth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, in which the detecting means is provided with a color signal detecting means for detecting the color signal of a normal image. When the color signal detecting means detects that the R signal of the RGB signal of each pixel of a normal image is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is recognized as being located outside the body of the patient and a detection signal is output to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, and at that time, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means prevents the emission of stimulating light, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured.
In addition, according to the sixth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, in which the detecting means is provided with a straight-line detecting means for detecting the straight-line pattern of a normal image . When the straight-line detecting means detects a straight-line component larger than a predetermined threshold value, the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is recognized as being located outside the body of the patient and a detection signal is output to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, and at that time, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means prevents the emission of stimulating light, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured.
In addition, according to the seventh fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, in which the detecting means is provided with a light strength detecting means for detecting the light strength occurring near the side of the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion. When the light strength detecting means detects a light strength occurring near the side of the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion that is larger than a predetermined threshold value, the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is recognized as being located outside the body of the patient and a detection signal is output to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, and at that time, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means prevents the emission of stimulating light, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured. Further, the degree of safety can be further increased if the flicker detecting means be disposed at a safe position at a distance several centimeters from the very stimulating light emitting end of the endoscope insertion portion.
In addition, according to the eighth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, in which the detecting means is provided with a temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature occurring near the side of the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion. When the temperature detecting means detects a temperature occurring near the side of the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion that is lower than 37xc2x0 C. (the normal body temperature of a patient), the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is recognized as being located outside the body of the patient and a detection signal is output to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, and at that time, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means prevents the emission of stimulating light, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured. Further, the degree of safety can be further increased if the flicker detecting means be disposed at a safe position at a distance several centimeters from the very stimulating light emitting end of the endoscope insertion portion.
In addition, according to the ninth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, in which the detecting means is provided with a gas detecting means for detecting the gas occurring near the side of the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion. When the gas detecting means detects that the density of, for example, the density of the carbonic acid gas occurring near the side of the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is lower than a predetermined threshold value, the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is recognized as being located outside the body of the patient and a detection signal is output to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, and at that time, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means prevents the emission of stimulating light, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured. Further, the degree of safety can be further increased if the flicker detecting means be disposed at a safe position at a distance several centimeters from the very stimulating light emitting end of the endoscope insertion portion.
In addition, according to the tenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, in which the detecting means is provided with a magnetic field producing means mounted at the opening of the body orifice of the patient into which the insertion portion of the endoscope apparatus is to be inserted for producing a magnetic field, and a magnetic field detecting means for detecting aforementioned magnetic field. Based on detection by the magnetic field detecting means of a magnetic field produced by the magnetic field producing means, the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is recognized as being located outside the body of the patient and a detection signal is output to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, and at that time, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means prevents the emission of stimulating light, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured.
In addition, according to the eleventh fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, in which the detecting means is provided with a light projecting means mounted at the opening of the body orifice into which the insertion portion of the endoscope apparatus is to be inserted for projecting light, and a reflected light detecting means for detecting the reflected light reflected by the endoscope insertion portion upon irradiation thereof by the projected light. Based upon detection by the reflected light detecting means of reflected light, the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is recognized as being located outside the body of the patient and a detection signal is output to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, and at that time, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means prevents the emission of stimulating light, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured.
In addition, according to the twelfth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, in which the detecting means is provided with a light projecting means mounted at the opening of the body orifice into which the insertion portion of the endoscope apparatus is to be inserted for projecting light, and a transmitted-light detecting means for detecting the transmitted light transmitted by the endoscope insertion portion upon irradiation thereof by the projected light. Based upon detection by the transmitted light detecting means of transmitted light, the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is recognized as being located outside the body of the patient and a detection signal is output to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, and at that time, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means prevents the emission of stimulating light, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured.
In addition, according to the thirteenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, in which the detecting means is provided with an airspace volume detecting means for detecting the airspace volume between the body of the patient and the endoscope insertion portion. When the airspace volume detecting means detects an airspace volume of a size larger than a predetermined threshold value, the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion is recognized as being located outside the body of the patient and a detection signal is output to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, and at that time, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means prevents the emission of stimulating light, the stimulating light does not enter the eyes of the patient and cause injury thereto, and safety is ensured.
In addition, according to the fourteenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, because the stimulating light emission preventing means is a cutoff means disposed within the optical path through which the stimulating light is guided to the section of which a measurement is to be taken, there is no necessity to provide a new device, and prevention of the emission of stimulating light can be controlled solely by the control signal.
In addition, according to the fifteenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus according of the present invention, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means the is a stimulating light standby means for controlling emission of the stimulating light by maintaining it in a standby state, there is no necessity to provide a new device, and prevention of the emission of stimulating light can be controlled solely by the control signal.
In addition, according to the sixteenth embodiment of the fluorescent endoscope apparatus according to the present invention, because GaN type laser light is used as the stimulating light, fluorescent light is efficiently emitted from the section of which a measurement is being taken, and the apparatus can be of a small size.
In addition, according to the seventeenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, because the stimulating light is in definitely in the emission-prohibited state when the system is started, when a measurement is initiated, or when maintenance operations are to be commenced, the safety of the operator, the patient and personnel performing maintenance, with respect to the inadvertent emission of stimulating light, is ensured.
In addition, according to the eighteenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, because the stimulating light is definitely in the emission-prohibited state when the system is reset, the safety of the operator, the patient and personnel performing maintenance, with respect to the inadvertent emission of stimulating light, is ensured.
When the system is started, the power-source state detecting means detect that the power source has been switched from the OFF to the ON position, detection data indicative thereof is transmitted to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means. At this time, the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means reads in the control data recorded in the stimulating light emission prevention control data recording means for controlling the stimulating light emission preventing means, and causes the operation of the stimulating light emission preventing means; the stimulating light is put in the emission-prohibited state.
When the fluorescent endoscope apparatus is detected by the reset detecting means as having been reset, detection data indicative thereof is transmitted to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means, after which, the stimulating light is put in the emission-prohibited state in the same way as when the system is started.
When the predetermined operation for unlocking the emission-prohibited state of the stimulating light is performed, this operation is detected by the unlocking operation detecting means, and detection data indicative thereof is transmitted to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means. At this time, the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means causes the operation of the stimulating light emission prevention means and the emission-prohibited state of the stimulating light is unlocked. By making this predetermined operation a required operation to be performed in order to take a measurement, the stimulating light is definitely in the emission-prohibited state when operations to take a measurement are initiated.
Further, when changing patients, the endoscope insertion portion must be removed from the signal processing portion to be cleaned and exchanged. That the end portion of the endoscope insertion portion has been removed from the signal processing portion is detected by the connection detecting means, and detection data indicative thereof is transmitted to the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means; in the same way as described above, the stimulating light is put in the emission-prohibited state. Because this emission-prohibited state is unlocked by performance of a predetermined operation in the same way as described above, even for cases in which patients are changed, the stimulating light is definitely in the emission-prohibited state.
Still further, when maintenance is to be performed, by requiring that aforementioned predetermined operation be performed before maintenance can be performed, when maintenance operations are initiated, the stimulating light is definitely in the emission-prohibited state.
In addition, according to the nineteenth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, for cases in which the endoscope insertion portion is removed from the signal processing portion for maintenance, that the endoscope insertion portion has been removed is detected by the connection detecting means; the stimulating light is put in the emission-prohibited state and the safety of the personnel performing maintenance is ensured. However, it is not mandatory that the insertion portion be used when maintenance is performed; there are cases which emission of stimulating light is required with the insertion portion having been removed from the signal processing portion. Therefore, for example, by inserting a dummy insertion portion into the image processing portion, the stimulating light can be made to not go into the emission-prohibited state. xe2x80x9cPseudo plugging in of the insertion portionxe2x80x9d refers to, for example, plugging into the image signal processing portion instead of the real endoscope insertion portion, in short, any method by which the insertion portion is not detected as being removed will suffice.
In addition, according to the twentieth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means is a stimulating light cutoff means inserted into the optical path through which the stimulating light is guided to the section of which a measurement is to be taken, the emission of stimulating light can be controlled by an apparatus of a simple configuration.
In addition, according to the twenty-first fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, because the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means is a stimulating light standby means for controlling emission of the stimulating light by maintaining it in a standby state, there is no necessity to provide a new device, and the prevention of the emission of stimulating light can be controlled be only the control signal.
In addition, according to the twenty-second fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, because the stimulating light emission preventing means is also provided with a stimulating light emission prevention data recording means for recording control data for controlling aforementioned stimulating light emission preventing means, and when the power-source state detecting means detects that the power source has been switched from OFF to ON, or when the reset detecting means detects that the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means has been reset, the stimulating light emission prevention controlling means reads the control data recorded in the stimulating light emission prevention control data recording means and controls the stimulating light emission preventing means so that the stimulating light can be put in the emission-prohibited state, control of the stimulating light emission preventing means can be performed more simply and easily.
In addition, according to the twenty-third fluorescent endoscope apparatus of to the present invention, because aforementioned predetermined operation for unlocking the emission-prohibited state of the stimulating light is a manually performed operation, it can be confirmed that the apparatus is in a safe operational state before performing the operation to unlock the emission-prohibited state of the stimulating light.
In addition, according to the twenty-fourth fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, because because aforementioned manually performed operation is an operation of inputting the patient data, it is not necessary to provide a new device solely for the purpose of unlocking the emission-prohibited state of the stimulating light.
In addition, according to the twenty-fifth embodiment of the fluorescent endoscope apparatus of the present invention, because GaN type laser light is used as the stimulating light, fluorescent light is emitted efficiently from the section of which a measurement is to be taken, and the apparatus can be of a small size.